An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
English-French-Persian

A yellow → mineral which is an iron sulfide (FeS₂). It is a source of → sulfur and is used in the manufacture of sulfuric acid.

M.E., from O.Fr. pirite, from L. pyrites, from Gk. pyr "fire," → pyro-, + → -ite.

A prefix meaning "fire, heat, high temperature," used in the formation of compound words. → pyrheliometer; → pyrometer.

From Gk. pyro-, combining form of pyr "fire," cognate with O.E. fyr, O.N. fürr, M.Du. vuur, Ger. Feuer), from PIE *paewr-; cf. Mod.Pers. Lori porpor "blazing charcoal," Gilaki bur, biur "smokeless red fire" (Lori perisk, periska "spark," Kurd. biriske "spark," Lârestâni pelita "spark"); Gk. pyr "fire;" Hitt. pahhur "fire;" Skt. pū- "to cleanse."

Âzar, variants âtaš, taš "fire," from Mid.Pers. âtaxš, âtur "fire;" Av. ātar-, āθr- "fire," singular nominative ātarš-; O.Pers. ātar- "fire;" Av. āθaurvan- "fire priest;" Skt. átharvan- "fire priest;" cf. L. ater "black" ("blackened by fire"); Arm. airem "burns;" Serb. vatra "fire;" PIE base *āter- "fire."

A device used for measuring high temperatures. By comparing a source whose temperature is to be measured to a standardized source of illumination, it determines the temperature of the former source.

→ pyro- + → -meter.

One of the major groups of silicate minerals found in many igneous and metamorphic rocks. Pyroxene minerals are also common in meteorites. There are many different types of pyroxene. All of the types contain Si₂O₆ but some have sodium (Na) while others have iron (Fe), magnesium (Mg), or a combination of these three elements.

From → pyro- "fire," + xeno- a combining form meaning "alien, strange, guest," from Gk. xenos "stranger, guest." Pyroxene was originally supposed to be a foreign substance when found in igneous rocks.

The proposition that the → square of the → hypotenuse of a → right triangle is equal to the → sum of the squares of the other two sides: a² + b² = c².

After Pythagoras (c570 BC-c495BC), Greek philosopher and mathematician; → theorem.

Any group of three → integers that satisfy the relations specified by the → Pythagorean theorem. Some examples: 3, 4, and 5; 5, 12, and 13; 8, 15, 17.

→ Pythagorean theorem; → triple; → triplet.

The Compass Box. A faint constellation in the southern hemisphere, at 9h right ascension, 30° south declination, representing a mariner's compass. Its brightest star, Alpha Pyxidis, is magnitude 3.7. Abbreviation: Pyx; genitive: Pyxidis.

L. pyxis, from Gk. pyxis "box."

Qotbnamâ literally "pole indicator," from qotb, → pole, + namâ "displayer, indicator," from nemudan "to show" (Mid.Pers. nimūdan, nimây- "to show," from O.Pers./Av. ni- "down; into" (Skt. ni "down," nitaram "downward," Gk. neiothen "from below," cf. E. nether, O.E. niþera, neoþera "down, downward, below, beneath," from P.Gmc. *nitheraz, Du. neder, Ger. nieder; PIE *ni- "down, below") + māy- "to measure;" cf. Skt. mati "measures," matra- "measure;" Gk. metron "measure;" L. metrum; PIE base *me- "to measure").